Motor-cycle side-car frame.



R. F. ROGERS.

MOTOR CYCLE SIDE CAR FRAME.

APPLICATION FILED IBB. 17,1913.

1,1 1 8,445. Patented Nov. 24, 1914 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

R. F. ROGERS.

MoTon CYCLE SIDE GAR FRAME.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 17,1913.

1,1 1 8,445. Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

sums-SHEET 2.

RALPH F. ROGERS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MOTOR-CYCLE SIDE-CAR FRAME.

" `Speccation of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 17, 1913. Serial No. 748,829.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RALPHF. Roenes, a citizenof the United Statesy residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook andState of Illinois, `have inventedcertain new and` useful Improvements`in Motor-Cycle Side- Car Frames, of which `the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to motorcycle side ear frames and contemplatesimproved features of construction and arrangement. Side car structuresfor motorcycles are coming into extensive use, both for pleasure andcommercial purposes. It is very desirable that such side car frames beadapted for quick attachment or detachment and adapted for fittingdifferent styles of motorcycles. Furthermore, the associationshould besuch that the free operation of the` motorcycle is not interfered `withby the attachment and` that the motorcycle and attachment will operatein harmony to give the most` efficient results. tofore side car frameshave been attached to the motorcycle structure at only one sidethereof,`that is, the rear of the car was connected at only `one Siderof the rear axle, the result being that the weight of the car with itsload would. fall at'one side of `the Ytraction wheel vertical center andwould tend to tilt the cycle, thus introducing severe strain and more orless interfering with the operation of the cycle.

One of the important objects of the in-` vention is therefore toprovidesuch construction `and arrangement in a side car frame that theweight of the side` car will act equally on both sides of the cycletraction Wheel with the resultant vertical pressure along the verticalcentral line ofthe traction wheel to thus eleminate all tendency to tiltthe cycle and relieving the cycle of all unnecessary strain. Theconnection of the side car frame with the cycle is there- `fore in thenature of an arch spanning the cycle traction `wheel and secured to theend s of the wheel axle.;

u Another `object of the invention is to provide such connection of thecar frame with the cycle structure that the frame will not interferewith the relative movements of the cycle parts, particularly where thetraction wheel supporting structure is pivoted for verticalmovementrelativeto the cycle main frame. The side ear frame is therefore con-`nected atits front end with the frame body` Herei of the cycle by meansof a pivotal coupling y which will allow more or less bodily movement ofthe side car frame with reference to the cycle structure and allow `thecar frame to move bodilywith the cycle driving wheel structure,particularly where such wheel structure is pivoted to the cycle framebody. Such connection is also detachable with reference to the cycle andwill `also adapt the car frame for application t0 cycles havingdifferent styles of frame body.

features of the invention Figure 1 is a perspective view of the side carframe applied Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

In the drawings which show the various to a motorcycle; Fig. 2 is anenlarged plan view of the side car frame; `and F ig., 3 is anendelevational view thereof.

'The motorcycle shown is of thewell known construction and is shownindetailzonly suf-` ficiently to illustrate the application thereto of myimproved side car frame. The cycle` comprises a frame body 5 pivotingthe fork 6 for the front wheel 7. The rear section 8 supports the axle11 for the wheel 12, the wheel beingsurrounded by the fender 13.

Referring now to the` side car frame,.`

the axle la pivots at its outer end the wheel 15 and supports one end ofthe spring structures `16 on which the car body, not shown, issupported. The inner end of the axle 1i is bent to form the arch 17 forreceiving the traction wheel structure of the cycle, the lower ends ofthe arch section carrying receiving members 18` for the opposite` endsof axle structure l1. Withthis arrangement, the weight of the side carand load on the motor cycle bears on both sides of the cycle traction`wheel and` is substantially equal on both sides so that the resultantpressure line will always be in the plane of the driving wheel thusperfectly balancing the `combination and arch section. The car sideframe is connected at its front end with the frame body 5 of the motorcycle and such connection must be suiiiciently yielding and flexible toallow the side car frame to'follow the various movements of the cyclestructure 8 to which the inner end of the side frame is rigidly attachedby its arch section. rlhe connection should also be such that the sidecar frame may be adapted for application to motorcycles having differentstyles of body frames. Extending forwardly from the axle 14. of the sidecar frame is the beam 2l, the front end of this beam being deflected toprovide the vertical section 22 and the inwardly extending end section2.3. The end section 23 terminates in the bearing bloclr 2st forreceiving the outer end of a crank shaped coupling link 25. The innerend of this coupling link extends through and journals in the sleeve 26of a clamp 2G adapted for detachable and adjustable application to theframe body 5 of the motorcycle as indicated. The link is longitudinallyadjustable inthe sleeve by means of nuts 27 so that the front end of thecar frame can be adjusted laterally with reference to the cycle frame.As the link has pivotal engagement with both the clamping member 26 andthe car frame, this frame is free to follow the Avarious flexures,torsional movements, and so forth, of the cycle structure so that freeand easy running will result without restraining .in any way the normaloperation ofthe motorcycle. The flexible connection described will alsoadapt the car frame for application to motorcycles of different styles.

As motorcycles are usually equipped with pedals, the beam 21 is setoutwardly suiiiciently to leave suflicient clearance for operation ofthe pedals. Extending from intermediate point of the beam` 2l to theouter end of the axle le is the L-shaped frame part 28 whose transversesection is parallel with the axle and supports the front end of thespring structures 16 which support the car body (not shown). This framemember 28 also serves to brace the axle la and to connect the outer endthereof more directly wi th the motorcycle body, torsional or twistingstrains on the motorcycle and particularly the driving structure thereofbeing thus prevented, there being a more direct pull component betweenthe motorcycle frame and the Aouter end of axle 14C.

l thus provide a side car structure for cycles which can be readilyattached thereto or detached therefrom and which will lit various stylesof cycles. rllhe arch arrangement will distribute the load equally onboth sides of the cycle so that the cycle may run true withoutunnecessary strain, the arch strengthening the cycle structure tocompensate for the additional load on the cycle.

The flexible coupling at the front end of the car will allow the cycleto run without hindrance or interference by the car and the car itselfwill be more able to follow the varying surface over which it travels.

l do not, of course, desire to be limited to the precise constructionand arrangement shown and described modifications might be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention and I claim the following:

l. A side car frame attachment for cycles having an axle bent at itsinner end into an arch for receiving the cycle frame and having means atthe ends of the arch for engaging with the cycle frame at the oppositesides thereof. Y l

2. ln a side car frame, the combination of an axle, a wheel journaled atthe outer end ofsaid axle, the inner end of said axle being bentintoan-arch for receiving the frame of avcycle, means at the ends ofsaid arch for securing suoli ends to the cycle frame at opposite sidesthereof, and a coupling member f at the front end of said side'car framefor connecting said-end with'the cycle frame.

3. ln'a side/car frame, the combination of an axle,-awheel journaled atthe outer end of said axle, the inner end of said axle being l! bentinto an arch for receiving the frame of a cycle, means on the sides ofsaid arch for securing said sides tothe cycle frame at opposite sidesthereof, and a vflexible connecting member at the front end of said carframe adapted for detachable connection with said cycle frame.

et. ln a side car attachment for cycles, the combination of a framehaving an axle, a

wheel journaled to the outer end of said axle,

an arch forming an integral part of said frame and extending from theinner side of said frame for straddlingthe frame of a cycle,

and means for securing the sides of said arch to said frame at theopposite sides thereof.

5. ln a side car attachment for cycles, the combination of a framehaving an axle, a wheel at the outer end of saidaxle, an arch forming anlintegral Vpart of said frame and extending from the inner side of saidframe for straddling the rear wheel structure of a cycle, means on thearch sides for detachably securing said sides to the opposite ends ofthe axle for said rear wheel structure, and

meansfor connecting the front end of said frame with the frame of thecycle.

6. In a side car attachment for cycles, the combination of a supportingframe having an axle, a wheel journaled at the outer end of said axle,the inner end of said axle being A- bent into an` arch for straddlingthe rear wheel structure of a cycle, means for detachably securing thesides of said arch to said wheel structure at the ends of the axlethereof, andmeans for flexibly securing the front 7. In a side carattachment for cycles, the combination of a supporting frame having anaxle, a Wheel journaled at the outer end of said axle, the inner end ofsaid axle being bent into an `arch for straddling the rear Wheelstructure of a cycle, means for detachably securingthe sides of saidarch to said Wheel structure at the ends of the axle thereof, a linkpivotally connected With the zfront end of said frame, and a clampinglmember pivotally connected with the end of said link and adapted fordetachable and adjustable connection with the frame body of the cycle.

8; In a side car attachment for cycles, the combination of an axle bentat its inner end into an arch for receiving a cycle structure, n

means for connecting the sides of said arch With the cycle frame atopposite sides thereof, and a strengthening member brdgin the bendbetween the arch and the axle boy y.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 15th day ofFebruary, A. D.,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for tive cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of latents` Washington, D. U.

